RUSTON — Alex Hamilton had to look away. Erik McCree couldn't even muster up the words. Louisiana Tech's veteran leaders barely had anything to say. They were sick to their stomachs.

And all because of a loss. Not any loss, though. One that ended Tech's 39-game home win streak, one built on talent two years and maintained on pride for the three seasons.

The Bulldogs watched the second-longest active home win streak in the country end Thursday night as Old Dominion pulled off a 56-53 upset win over Tech at the Thomas Assembly Center.

"I don’t even know what to say, man. I’m sick right now," McCree said after a long pause. "I don’t know what to say."

Freshman Derric Jean missed a game-tying 3-pointer as time expired, and Tech (12-3, 1-1 Conference USA) lost its first home game since December 2013 against UL Lafayette and its first conference home game since 2012. The Bulldogs were previously 58-1 at home since February 2012.

Old Dominion (9-7, 2-0) did so by securing its first road win of the season. And the Monarchs did so with stifling defense, holding the top-scoring team in Conference USA to a season-low 53 points, 28 points below the Bulldogs season average.

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Erick Konkol explains why Old Dominion played as expected on defense, limiting the Bulldogs to a season-low 53 points.

"The guys are hurt, and we all are," Tech coach Eric Konkol said. "We take a lot of pride in playing here at home for our fans."

Tech shot just 34.6 percent from the field (25 percent in the first half) and was stymied in the paint, as Old Dominion forced Tech to win by shooting 3-pointers all game long.

The Bulldogs failed to do so, finishing 8-for-24 (33.3 percent), including a pair of misses in the final minutes that would have either tied the game or taken the lead.

"They played exactly the way we expected them to," Konkol said. "They play a certain way that you need to make a lot of 3’s and we made a good number. We needed a couple more and we needed to get a couple more run outs."

ODU star guard Trey Freeman fired in a game-high 21 points, and Aaron Bacote matched him almost point for point for 17 points of his own.

Hamilton led Tech with 15 points but struggled shooting the ball, making just 6-of-17 field goals. He committed a costly turnover with 15 seconds left and Tech trailing by two points with the ball bouncing off a foot and out of bounds.

"I just got careless with the ball and turned it over. I put this loss on my shoulders," Hamilton said.

(Photo: DONNY CROWE/LATech Athletics)

McCree was equally hard on himself. He finished with 13 points but committed seven turnovers.

"I was the worst player on the floor," he said. "I turned the ball over every time I touched it."

The Bulldogs were bailed out when Denzell Taylor missed the second of two free throws with 12.1 seconds left to give Tech new life. But Hamilton couldn't get a shot off at the other end and had to dish to Jean, who clanked one off the back iron.

ODU packed in its defense and prevent Tech from running out in transition by keeping two and sometimes three players back. The pace favored the Monarchs' slow and steady style of play against a team that turns defense into offense.

The result was four fast-break points and just 12 free throws for a team that averages almost 27 per game.

"We knew we weren't going to get to 74 possessions tonight just because the way they play offense," Konkol said. "They are going to really try to grind the clock and they're going to try and get offensive rebounds and keep you on defense."

Tech, which leads C-USA in turnovers forced at more than 16 per game, managed just 10 against Old Dominion and converted them into just five points.

Even so, Tech was still in position to win and tie a program record with 40 straight home victories.

Hamilton's bucket with 2:38 left put Tech up 51-49 after the Bulldogs clawed back from 15-0 ODU run that silenced the crowd.

"It was really like a heavyweight fight with each team throwing a couple punches," Konkol said. "They connected on one more than us."

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Eric Konkol recaps Louisiana Tech's loss to Old Dominion on Thursday, which snapped a 39-game home winning streak.

Freeman answered with a jumper, and ODU made three free throws down the stretch for the win. Tech's best chance at tying it came with 52 seconds lefft when Jacobi Boykins, who finished with 11 points, missed a 3-pointer from the corner.

The finish was entertaining but the start was hard to watch for both teams.

Tech made just two field goals in the final 9:57 of the first half, and Tech and Old Dominion combined to brick 19 of the last 23 field goal attempts to end the half.

"They played great defense. You gotta give them credit," McCree said.

Gut check time. Old Dominion amid a 15-0 run. Lead has ballooned to 45-36 with 8:45 to play.

In the second half, Tech made four straight field goals as part of a 9-2 run. Dayon Griffin swished a 3-pointer, and the offense came alive to take a 36-30 lead.

Then came ODU's 15-0 run, which featured a flurry of points for a nine-point lead.

"People were doubting themselves but we know we have a quick turnaround," Hamilton said. "As a leader I gotta get them back together tomorrow and we just gotta get back to work and try to start it over."

Tech is back at home Saturday against Charlotte in the final game of a three-game home-stand to start C-USA play.